“Gaggenau appliances are all beautifully designed,” says Sören Strayle proudly. Sören, who has worked for Gaggenau since 2004, specialises in the user interface of Gaggenau appliances.
“It is not necessary to hide Gaggenau appliances away within the kitchen. In fact, they often don’t look like a kitchen appliance and somehow, for example with the ovens 400 series, they look like a picture frame or a piece of art on the wall. Our customers are proud to have Gaggenau appliances in their kitchen and they like to show the appliances,” he adds.
It is this guiding philosophy that has kept Gaggenau truly ahead of the game. Timeless in technology, design and appeal to their diverse geographical customer base, Gaggenau appliances endows modern technology with a soul and longevity. Inherent to the success of the ambitious home cook and their kitchen, Gaggenau appliances, such as the ovens 400 series or the full surface induction cooktop CX 480, complement the high-end and architecturally designed kitchens of their customers.
Gaggenau is a company of firsts. The first company to launch the “world novelty” full surface induction cooktop, before introducing the steam oven—the latter taking its requirements and experience from the professional kitchen to the private home. Sören says: “There have been many very successful innovations in the history of our brand and we know that in the future we have to continue to work hard to maintain this level of innovation. The latest technology is very important to us—Gaggenau technology is state-of-the-art and our appliances are timeless.”
Iconic designs
The Vario cooktops 400 series, which features front-mounted controls in solid stainless steel, demonstrates Gaggenau’s dedication to uncompromising quality, while the ovens 400 series’ unique aesthetics include a sculptural, iconic design with a protruding front, which doesn’t dominate or overpower the kitchen, but ultimately has a presence in its own right.
Sören explains: “The ovens 400 series is expressive. It is not flush-fitted in the kitchen and there are no door handles. The door features stainless steel behind glass with a panoramic view into the oven. The inside of the oven resembles a stage so that the food you prepare in the oven becomes the main actor.”
The select materials used mirror the advanced technology, such as brushed stainless steel, aluminium and glass, combined with lavish surfaces and clear lines, which convey continuity and authenticity. The result is appliances synonymous with aesthetic enjoyment.
Unique arrangements
Gaggenau customers have the flexibility to create unique appliance configurations suited to their own tastes and preferences, ensuring seamless integration. With the flexibility of modular elements creating many different options for the luxury kitchen. “From built-in under counter, vertically stacked to a horizontal alignment, we offer endless possibilities for our customers to integrate Gaggenau appliances in the way that they want to,” Sören says.
The user experience is core to Gaggenau’s design philosophy. This evolutionary approach has seen the use of the rotary knob function across Gaggenau appliances (with the exception of cooling appliances). The rotary knob controls all primary functions, providing direct control. “The stainless steel rotary knob is essentially a recognisable symbol across our products. It is an iconic element that makes the operation of the appliance intuitive and, in fact, they are sculptural, pure jewels,” Sören says.
Of Sören’s 11 years working with Gaggenau, he says it was the launch of the award-winning full surface induction cooktop CX480 in 2011 that has been his biggest highlight so far.
“The challenge we faced was how we go about making it possible for the user to interact naturally with this new kind of cooktop. The cooking surface makes it possible to intuitively use the individual hob areas without having to think too much about it: here cooking can be just what it is—passionate and emotional, with the technology taking back stage.”
The beauty of the full surface induction cooktop CX480 is that it turns the entire surface of the appliance into one large cooking area, with the option to place a round six different items of cookware on the surface. The functions are controlled by a large TFT touch display and a unique operating and display concept—the technology is cutting edge, but equally important is the style with which it is presented.
The impeccable design, and advanced technology—48 micro-inductors lie under the surface allowing for freedom of arrangement on the cooktop—highlights Gaggenau’s never-ending quest for authenticity and uncompromising quality.
“The Gaggenau brand and its heritage inspires each new appliance. We always keep the roots of our brand in mind and we take the strength from our history. We are proud of our 333 years in the making and our heritage is an essential part of our DNA today and we continue to be just as ambitious for the future,” Sören finishes.
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